MaineMaine lets its agriculture agency finalize a poultry exemption rule
Maine’s Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry can finalize a farm poultry exemption rule even though it arrived outside the Legislature’s normal review window.
What it does
Maine’s agriculture agency can finalize its exemption rule for raising, slaughtering, and processing fewer than 1,000 whole poultry birds on farms, prepared for cooking.
Argument forPermission to finalize the exemption rule could reduce uncertainty for small poultry farms waiting for the agency to move it forward.
Argument againstApproving a rule submitted outside the normal review window could make review schedules less predictable for lawmakers and affected farmers.
More detail
Maine’s Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry may finalize Chapter 348. Chapter 348 concerns an exemption for raising, slaughtering, and processing fewer than 1,000 whole poultry birds on farms, prepared for cooking. The rule was submitted outside the Legislature’s normal review window. The law allows the agency to finalize the rule but does not itself complete that step. The permission took effect on April 13, 2026, when the Governor approved the law.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 13Signed by Governor Janet MillsBecame Law
- Apr 6FINALLY PASSED - Emergency - 2/3 Elected Required, in concurrence.Passed 2nd Chamber
- Apr 2Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Apr 2FINALLY PASSED.Passed 1st Chamber
- Apr 2This being an emergency measure, a two-thirds vote of all the members elected to the House was necessary.
- Apr 2Ordered sent down forthwith.
- Apr 2Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED, in concurrence.Minor
- Apr 2READ ONCEMinor
- Apr 2Report READ and ACCEPTED, in concurrence.
- Mar 30Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Mar 30The Resolve was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED.Minor
- Mar 30Under suspension of the rules CONSENT CALENDAR - SECOND DAY.
- Mar 30CONSENT CALENDAR - FIRST DAY
- Mar 26Reported Out - OTP
- Mar 19Voted - OTP
- Mar 19Work Session Held
- Mar 17On motion by Senator Talbot Ross of Cumberland REFERRED to the Committee on AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 218, in concurrence.Minor
- Mar 17Report READ and ACCEPTED, in concurrence.
- Mar 17Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Mar 17The Resolve was REFERRED to the Committee on AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 218.Minor
- Mar 17Report was READ and ACCEPTED.
- Mar 17Representative PLUECKER for the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 8072 and approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council, reports that the Resolve be REFERRED to the Committee on AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 218.Introduced
Agriculture